History of JJ's Folly

JJ's Folly was built in 1970 by Julius Johnmeyer. Julius was a character. He had numerous careers, often several at once. He and his wife, Grace, raised seven children and had 24 grandchildren. He was verily Julius: very busy, very social, very strong, very energetic, and often flamboyant. He usually wore bib overalls and on Christmas and changed into brightly colored/patterned overalls with a clashing bright/patterned shirt. Anything to keep the party going. During his lifetime, Julius engaged in a number of acts just-on-the-edge of pure folly. Three particular acts of folly come to mind.

He started hunting as a child and continued to do so all his life. In 1972 while hunting in Montana, Julius shot and wounded a 600 pound black bear, then followed its trail in the mountains until it died. He had the bear mounted on its hind legs and brought to JJ's Folly where it rested in the den until Julius's children donated it to the CMU museum.

When Julius was 66, he and three other men took a 35 day jaunt on a home-made raft down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers from Glasgow to New Orleans. The "raft" consisted of three pontoon boats lashed together. The men passed their days watching the banks and playing cards. At night they docked and visited with the locals.

For his 79th birthday, Julius's children arranged for him to go skydiving - why not? There wasn't much he hadn't already done. In spite of having a pin in his hip, compliments of a tree falling on him when he was 70, he had a marvelous time on the jump and grinned all the way down.

The lodge is now named "JJ's Folly" and accurately reflects its name. This home is 5,500 square feet and supported by Osage Orange tree trunks and standing, as if on stilts, over a lake, looking like something from Swiss Family Robinson. This unique structure has been a home to Julius and Grace Johnmeyer, as well as their children and grandchildren since it was built. It was remodeled and opened as a Bed and Breakfast in 2012 by one of Julius & Grace's children, Connie.

On January 23rd, 2017, Bryan and Catina Topash purchased the home from Connie. They live in and also continue to operate it as a Bed and Breakfast. They have put their own unique personality into the home and are truly honored to be a part of the history of this one of a kind home.

From the moment you turn into the driveway at Breathe @ JJ's Folly Bed & Breakfast, it will feel like returning home. Once there, find a comfortable chair, turn off your cell phone (if you dare) and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.